


Little Bean

by CoreaStories



Category: King of Eternity, The King: Eternal Monarch, 더 킹：영원의 군주 | The King: Eternal Monarch (TV)
Genre: Corea Stories, F/M, Gen, Happily Ever After, MSD means making some descendants, pregnancy announcement, royal baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25462876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoreaStories/pseuds/CoreaStories
Summary: This is how the kingdom and the people closest to them find out about the little bean.One-shot compilation.Ties in with many of Corea News pieces and other one-shots of this author, but can stand alone.Part 3: A Gift From the Koos
Relationships: Jeong Tae Eul/Lee Gon, Jo Eun Seob/Myeong Na Ri, Jo Yeong/Myeong Seung Ah
Comments: 19
Kudos: 326





	1. Mrs Jang's Advice

**Author's Note:**

> Even better with:  
> Corea News 24: 10 Times The King and Queen of Corea made ahjummas ugly-cry over their royal romance  
> Corea News 21: Palace Announcement: WE HAVE A ROYAL BABY! 
> 
> ALL Little Bean chapters come before:  
> Corea News 12: Love in the Royal Kitchen and succeeding Corea News hinting at the Little Bean

Mrs Jang had three children. Her firstborn was a son, and he belonged to her husband. Her daughter soon followed, but she was too much like Mrs Jang in her independence and… bossiness that there really was no hope they’d be close because there couldn’t be two suns in one household. 

Ten years after her daughter was born, Mi-reuk arrived, an absolute surprise, and Mrs Jang finally had her own baby, and he hadn’t disappointed her so far. He was sweet and he was patient, and unlike her equally domineering daughter, Mi-reuk let her do what she pleased. 

As a reward to him, Mrs Jang tried to tone down her bossy qualities. But now her son was in the Royal Guard, the Queen’s appointed Unbreakable Sword to boot, so even though she restrained herself, Mrs Jang still ended up calling her son every day. 

Which wasn’t much, was it? He was her son. She _should_ call him every day. 

“Omma, I’m working.”

Mrs Jang just smiled. Her son was such a sweetheart. “If you were really busy, you wouldn’t have answered the phone. Where’s Her Majesty?”

“I can’t tell you that. But yeah I suppose I’m on a small break while I’m waiting for them.”

“Them? You mean Their Majesties are together?”

“Omma, stop it.”

“Why do you sound so tired? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. It’s just been really crazy the past two weeks. It’s like the King has it in for me.”

Mrs Jang said nothing. If she and Mi-reuk were together, she would have pouted in sympathy. As it was, she made a sympathetic noise, and hoped Mi-reuk wouldn’t be interrupted as the dam broke. 

And break it did. 

“I’ve opened the car door for Her Majesty a thousand times before and His Majesty hasn’t said a word about it. But every time I did it the past few days, the king would snap at me or glare at me like I’m about to hit the queen with the door.”

“The king always opens the queen’s door, doesn’t he?”

“Oh, I mean when they’re about to get in the car.” 

“Well, where is the queen standing when you open the door for her?”

“It’s not like I’ll ever hit her with the car door, will I?”

“I hope you won't mind a tip from your old mother? When you open the car door for Her Majesty next time, stand in front of the door as you open it. Block it with your body.”

“But why? Shouldn’t the queen have access to the car immediately as I open the door?”

“Trust me, darling, block the swing of the car door with your body. You can simply step aside once it’s open so the queen can enter. Or have someone else do it, I suppose, so you aren’t distracted by something as trivial as opening the car door when you should be looking out for danger.” 

“Omma. I have training. I can open the car door and watch out for Her Majesty at the same--”

“That is what I just told you _not_ to do. Watch where you swing that door, young man.”

“I will. It’s not like I’d let anything and anyone bump her. And that’s another thing. His Majesty keeps shoving me lately.”

Mrs Jang bit her lips hard against the laugh that almost erupted. Oh, it was wonderful. And this time she was going to be the soul of discretion and not breathe a word, even to Mi-reuk. 

“Shoving you how?” Her son was a large person, so it wouldn’t surprise her if the king wanted Mi-reuk out of the way. 

“Like today, for example. They got out of the car. Then we move into formation around them. I always stand by the queen’s side, but now the king keeps pushing me a bit farther. I feel like a door sometimes, the way he keeps shoving me.” 

Mrs Jang did laugh then. “You’re a big man. You can take it. And watch that no one else bumps into the queen.”

“That’s what the king said. Like that wasn’t what I’ve been doing this entire time! He’s driving me nuts.”

“You just have to be patient. Young husbands can be protective like that.”

“He also got mad at me last week when I gave the queen an electric blanket in their office.”

“It’s summer.”

“It was a little cold that day. And the office air conditioning can be cold. She said she was cold. I turned up the thermostat and I saw the blanket on the chaise. So I opened the blanket so the queen could place it on her lap and the king saw me and bit my head off.”

“What did he say?”

“He asked me what I thought I was doing. Then he didn’t let me answer. He just asked if I was planning to toast the queen to death. I wasn’t even planning to plug in the blanket.”

Mrs Jang smiled ruefully. Her son sounded so wounded. Of course he would be, because he would die for the queen and the king _was_ being a little touchy, wasn't he? All very correct, though. The king was a scientist, a mathematician. He would know what’s what. “Ahhh, Mi-reuk, you can’t let the queen get too hot, you know.”

“Of course not.”

“I mean it. Don’t let her stay out in the sun. Watch that she’s never exhausted from overheating.”

“Of course, omma. I do look out for Her Majesty, you know. And she hasn’t come to the training grounds for two weeks. I doubt she has done any strenuous workout lately, not counting her walks with the king.” 

Wow. Two weeks. So that would mean she could be four to six weeks along. “That’s good. Anything else bothering you?”

“Ahh, I see Their Majesties now, omma. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Remember what I said.” 

Two weeks later, when the palace announced the happy news, Mrs Jang pretended to be shocked. 

But when her neighbors started acting smug like they knew all along because of Queens Day and everything they’ve seen on how the king and queen acted, Mrs Jang couldn’t let that pass. Her lumbago had acted up on Queens Day, of all times, so she hadn’t been able to go. Because they didn't have a son in the Royal Guard, they rather gleefully rubbed it in that Mrs Jang hadn’t been able to witness the king and queen’s sweetness with her own eyes. 

So she told them about how protective the king had been during the first weeks. He probably still was. Mrs Jang padded some details. 

Like usual, no one else had the same information she did. 

That shut them up. 

* * *

I just adore Jangmi, you know that, and I wanted a different take on Gon stepping into a crazy puddle. So here it is. 

Next chapter: Lady Noh 


	2. Lady Noh's Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noh Ok-nam knew her duty. But she was almost done. She felt at peace. This young lady would never disappoint her. She was strong. Even her fears were the right fears. She was already a wonderful wife and queen. She going to be a wonderful mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even better with:  
> Corea News 21: Palace Announcement: WE HAVE A ROYAL BABY!
> 
> One-shots:   
> \- Three Hours For Chicken  
> \- Seo-Ryeong vs Lady Noh
> 
> Days and Nights of Forever   
> \- Part 5 The Thirteenth Rule  
> \- Part 6 The Queen's Horse  
> \- And this chapter follows Part 7, The Towelette
> 
> ALL Little Bean chapters come before:  
> Corea News 12: Love in the Royal Kitchen   
> and succeeding Corea News pieces hinting at the Little Bean

Noh Ok-nam was a firm believer in tradition. It was how she made her days useful all her life, what gave her solid ground beneath her feet, and where she could find peace whenever it occurred to her that she might have cheated her destiny. 

She rose in the ranks to head court lady in due time, but still too late to be of any use, and tradition and custom was what saved her from lashing out or interfering every time she saw the malice and evil in that illegitimate boy, Lee Lim. 

She was thankful for the friendship of Prince Buyeong, and between them, they had guarded the precious little king and made sure he truly survived everything that happened. She had loved Lee Ho, had seen him grow from infant to king and father. He had raised Lee Gon as well as he could, even after his heartbreak of losing his wife. 

And now Noh Ok-nam stood poised to see another generation of this royal family she had spent all her life serving and protecting. 

She hadn’t escaped her destiny, after all.  _ This  _ was her destiny. To be mother and grandmother and great grandmother to this new young family, one of whom was also from the world Noh Ok-nam had left behind. 

The very same young woman now having tea with Ok-nam. It was their little tradition. Whenever their schedules allowed, they had tea in Ok-nam’s room. They talked about whatever came to mind. 

Sometimes it was the king. Sometimes it was Korea. And sometimes it was just about the two of them, two women in a different country than the one they knew before.

“Sometimes I wake up in the night terrified that I’ll be sent back,” the queen said. 

Ok-nam was astonished but she only nodded. She knew of those terrors. “Drink your tea, Your Majesty.” 

“What’s in this?”   
  


“Ginger. Lemon. Honey. It’s good for you.” 

“It’s a little strong.”    
  
Ok-nam nodded. Maybe it was too late in the day now to serve this tea, when the queen was no longer feeling queasy. She poured a fragrant and mild lemon balm white tea instead. “Does His Majesty wake up when you have those nightmares?”

The queen shook her head as she dipped her head in thanks for the new cup. “I don’t make any noise. I just suddenly come awake and my chest feels like I chased a perp down ten blocks. Did you ever feel like this?”

“Oh yes. In my first few months here. And now and then throughout my first decade. That was usually when I just got up and started work. They all thought I was hardworking but I was just escaping those thoughts of… displacement.” 

The queen smiled. “I usually just hug Gon and I’m all right.”

Ok-nam smiled. “That’s good. That’s right. He’s the reason you’re here. Trust that.” 

The queen tucked her chin in that beautiful way Ok-nam found so charming, and she was quiet for several moments, staring at her teacup. 

When she looked up, she had a hesitant expression on her face. Ok-nam held her breath. Was the queen finally telling her the sweet secret? 

The queen took a deep breath and said, “Gon and I are going to the doctor today. And then I want to talk to you immediately after-- after we tell you--” 

Someone clapped once, and Ok-nam was horrified to realize it was her. She unclasped her hands and held them out to the queen, this young woman who had come in their lives so suddenly yet so irrevocably. Ok-nam smiled when the queen gave her hands to her. Ok-nam squeezed them. 

“I’ll see you as soon as you arrive. Stop looking like you’re facing something dreadful. You are brave. You are the queen. This is your place now, and no one and nothing can take you away.” 

When Ok-nam saw tears glimmer in those eyes, she knew she’d said what the queen needed to hear. Ok-nam never had a family while she was here. She had served this family instead, and she supposed her sense of duty filled her days and gave her peace at night. 

  
But what would she have felt if she had planted roots here, roots that she would be terrified of being wrenched from under her? 

That was what the queen faced now, what the queen had faced the moment she agreed to marry the king. 

No wonder the poor child woke up from it in the night. 

Ok-nam only had residual terror at the thought of having to go back to that terrible world she left behind. 

But the queen had real terror at the thought of leaving  _ this  _ world because she belonged to another, especially now when she was planting roots, roots that were about to become even more precious. 

This realization made Ok-nam drink the queen’s abandoned tea herself. The ginger felt good. Very bracing. And then even as she planned what to say to the queen, her mouth was already pulling up into a huge smile. 

It was wonderful! 

Those talismans worked so well. 

* * *

Ok-nam was pacing around the king and queen’s study when they finally arrived. They were holding hands, and the queen had to look ruefully at the king when he still wouldn’t let go so she could remove her light coat. 

Ok-nam smiled and went over to help. The king turned to her with a beaming smile. 

“Have we got news for you.” 

“Oh, just tell me! I already know anyway.”

The king grinned. “Tae-Eul is pregnant.”

Ok-nam smiled wider, at the wonderful news, at the culmination of her hopes, and at how proud and gleeful the king sounded. “How far along now?”

The king led the queen to a chair while he answered. “Six weeks. We first found out four weeks ago and we confirmed it with Dr Chae two weeks ago, but we wanted to keep it to ourselves for a bit. Everything’s good. She has a touch of anemia. That’s why she feels cold sometimes. She just needs to eat more red meat and eggs and green vegetables. I’ll take care of it. I want more fresh edamame and spinach in my kitchen. Collard greens. Sweet potatoes. Anything dark green. And I’ll ask Noona how often you can eat liver without negative side effects. Do you even like liver? Maybe you can get your vitamin A from cod liver oil instead. Why aren’t you talking? Are you feeling alright?”

Tae-Eul just stared at him and then exchanged a wry look with Ok-nam, who found herself giggling. Giggling! 

The happy news had caught up with her, and she was giddy and delighted. Both the king and queen watched her as she laughed. She shook her head at them fondly as she finished. She sighed. She was happy. 

“Calm down, Pyeha. I’ll take care of the kitchen supplies. And you, Mama, we’ll take care of you.” She went to the queen and boldly took the young woman’s hands without asking first. Hands that were a little cold again. 

“You have made us so happy. May the heavens bless you and this child with a thousand blessings.” 

The queen bowed to that formal blessing, exchanging a smile with the king behind Ok-nam. Ok-nam felt her heart grow warm when she felt the king’s arm around her shoulder. 

Then the queen said, “I need to talk to Lady Noh for a second. Can you excuse us?” 

The king hesitated only for a second, then Ok-nam felt him kiss her temple, and then the king went to his wife and did the same to her. “I’ll be back with a snack. Anything you have in mind?” 

“Fried chicken. Can you do that?”

The king looked a little dubious. “I’ll see what I can do.” 

When the king was gone, the queen sighed. She was still holding Ok-nam’s hands like a lifeline, and now she squeezed them. 

“What is it, Your Majesty?” Ok-nam asked. 

“Oh, I hope he pulls it off. Maybe he can find a recipe online. He can just order it, of course, but I don’t like any of the chicken places here.”   
  
Ok-nam blinked. “I mean, what is troubling you, Your Majesty? You said you were going to talk to me as soon as you returned.” 

The queen blinked back. “Oh. Oh yes.” And then she spoke in a rush as if the words had been going over and over in her mind and it was a relief to let them out. 

“This is all right, isn’t it? You’ve lived here for decades and you were fine. Seo-gyeong is in New Zealand and she’s fine. I can have a baby, right? Nothing bad will happen to this baby because his or her mom isn’t supposed to be here? I’m already anemic. I’ve never been anemic before. What if I’m not supposed to do this? We know the worlds weren’t supposed to intersect, and Gon and I have already dared so much, but then he deserves to be happy after everything he’s done, and I’m not going to leave him. But what if we were too selfish? When I married him I already knew I wanted a family with him-- but-- but--”

Ok-nam let go of the queen’s hands so the queen could wipe the tears that had escaped down her cheeks. When she was done, Ok-nam took her hands again.    
  
“Your Majesty. Tae-Eul-ah. Look at me.” Standing as she was, and with her height decreasing with her increasing age, she was eye to eye with the seated queen. Ok-nam loved those eyes. They were so open, and this meant the queen was open to everything, including fear. 

“Your Majesty, mild anemia is very common in pregnancy. It’s because all your blood is growing this new soul. I’m sure Dr Chae told you that. If you forget anything your doctor says, call her. Ask her.” 

She squeezed the queen’s hands. “We won’t announce the pregnancy until it’s at twelve weeks. That’s tradition and custom. It’s to make sure we don’t insult any deities with lack of respect at their power during the first twelve weeks. You’ll be fine. We’ll take very good care of you.” 

Ok-nam already had the right talismans in mind, and she would call the shaman as soon as she was done assuring her queen. 

“You belong here. You are supposed to be here. You are the queen of the Kingdom of Corea. You are the mother of the next kings of Corea. After I first saw you, do you know what I dreamed about that night? A crescent moon. A crescent moon turning into a brilliant, blinding sun. It was such a clear dream and it kept returning to me for several nights, and it was what I dreamed of on the night of your wedding-- What is it? Why do you look like that?”

The queen was staring at Ok-nam with her mouth agape. She closed her mouth. She looked a little pale. “I dreamed of a crescent moon too, just before I came here-- and it did turn into a sun. I thought it was night turning into day, which was just how I felt because I would no longer have to leave Gon.”

Ok-nam smiled and moved her hands to the queen’s cheeks, half in fondness and half in an attempt to bring color to those cheeks. 

“Do you know what it means? The shaman told me that it means new beginnings. The crescent moon is either waning or waxing-- it means change. It means dreams turning into reality. And if it turns into the sun, it means glory and power. Someone achieving their destiny or dream. 

“Does it feel like that for you? It does for me. Because with your coming and with you becoming queen, it certainly seems like I’ve fulfilled my destiny of taking care of the king. My work is done and he is no longer alone. You will care for him next. And that means you belong here. You are the queen. This is your place, and becoming a mother is one of the sweetest parts of it. Do you understand?” 

The queen was gently crying now, but Ok-nam wasn’t worried. She heard relief and joy in those soft sobs. 

Ok-nam wiped the tears and did something she had only dared twice before: once when eight-year-old Gon was asleep absolutely exhausted from grief, and once when twenty-two-year-old Gon was asleep and about to leave for the Navy the next day. 

She kissed the queen’s cheek. 

The queen smiled tremulously and also kissed her on the cheek. Ok-nam smiled. She felt at peace. This young lady would never disappoint her. She was strong. Even her fears were the right fears. She was already a wonderful wife and queen. She was going to be a wonderful mother. 

“What did you do to her?” 

Ok-nam startled a little when the king came striding over, abandoning a trolley at the open door. He was looking incredulously between the two of them, and he went straight to the queen. “Why are you crying?” 

“I’ll tell you later. Do you have my fried chicken already?” 

“It’s coming. I brought Lady Noh’s tea first and some sweets. Do you want some while we wait for the chicken?”

“If you had them order the fried chicken, where did you order? Because I only like the one in Seoul here.” 

“It’s the same chicken in the branches in Busan.”

  
“No, it’s not. I told you--”

Ok-nam poured the tea and then left them alone. The king already had that look on his face that said he needed to be alone with his queen and everyone else had better scram or just face what they witnessed. 

Ok-nam made a mental note to ask about that chicken the queen liked from Seoul. 

But first, the shaman. 


	3. A Gift From the Koos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A story of sisterhood and solidarity and some shenanigans because Koo Seo-ryeong is an irreverent badass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connects to the one-shot:  
> \- Seo-Ryeong vs Lady Noh
> 
> Here comes the outrageous gift. :) 
> 
> Also connects to:  
> Corea News 10: Royal Exclusive: The King bares his heart in a flash interview
> 
> You'll also recognize this is before Queen's Day, and Tae-eul is about to begin the work on Eomoni Foundation.
> 
> Dedicated to collectsfallenstars, just because, and for something to read when you come up for air. Love you!  
> More to come.

Seo-gyeong worked in crime analysis in Interpol, was a Violent Crimes detective before that, grew up with a mind game-addict political staffer turned broadcaster turned MP turned Prime Minister, and was a little street rat before that. All this meant she found suspension of disbelief easy and routine.

Not as it applied to enjoying poorly-executed dramas or manhwa, but as it applied to real people and their unreal attitudes and motivations. Between her and her sister and the course of their adulthood and careers, they’d known so many nutters. 

So when her sister warned her that the queen looked exactly like her, Seo-gyeong thought, yeah, of course, that could happen.

That’s not to say her coffee didn’t descend down the wrong pipe when she saw the queen’s picture online for the first time. This wasn’t looking alike, this was seeing double. This was ridiculous. 

When she was done coughing to clear her chest of liquid, she zoomed in on the photo so it filled the screen without the headline, then waved Hyeon-min over to her desk. 

“Look at this.” She spoke in Korean. Everyone in their office was multilingual but she and Hyeon-min were the only ones who knew Korean. They used it for privacy whenever they could, but only when no one was within earshot. To be polite. And to not invite questions about what they were talking about. 

Hyeon-min looked. 

And then looked again. 

Hyeon-min spoke in a low voice. “Damn. She really looks like you.”

She’d been expecting him to ask where she got that suit and when she’d ever worn her hair like that. But his answer made her thump his arm. She automatically matched his pitch. “You know the queen looks like me? You’ve been here a month and it’s the first time I’m hearing about it?”

“The king approached us about it. We gave the queen a background with us in the unit, something about her being undercover with the NIS, too.”

She just gaped at him. 

“You remember how the king rounded up the traitor’s followers? She was apparently in the middle of that. It’s how they met.”

Seo-gyeong digested that. It was more believable than most things she saw every month. “Why do we look so much alike? Are we twins?”

Hyeon-min looked at her. “Anything’s possible. Do you want to meet her? She could be your family.” 

“Are you crazy? How on earth would I meet the queen?”

“I can make it happen.” 

She just rolled her eyes. She was surrounded by people who had too much grandeur. 

So when her sister called to tell her about the king and queen needing her blood work and coming to visit her, she took it as a matter of course. It was a bonus that her non-reaction seemed to annoy Seo-ryeong. 

Hours afterward, she still couldn’t stop giggling at the look on Seo-ryeong’s face. 

“You’re getting fat. You don’t have to eat everything omma sends, you know. They’ll keep in your fridge. By the way, Their Majesties are coming to New Zealand to visit you. You’ll be informed of the date and place you’ll meet. In the meantime, you need to visit this lab I’ll email you about. It won’t go to your inbox. You will have to log in with the code you’ll receive in your encrypted connection. They’ll take your blood for tests.”

Seo-gyeong just nodded and said, “Arraseo.”

Seo-ryeong stared at her. “Do you already know about this? What do you know about this?”

“Nothing. I just saw her picture, that’s all. She’s all over the internet.” 

“She is not. Your search algorithm just knows you’re obsessed with royalty.”

“I just like them. I didn’t want to be queen.”

Seo-ryeong ignored the dig. “What did you know about this?”

“I’m on the Interpol. We know things.” She pretended to see something off-screen. “Speaking of. Duty calls. Have to go, unnie-yah.”

She ended the call and laughed. Seo-ryeong hated few things worse than not knowing something. That would teach her unnie to call her fat. 

* * *

  
The more she learned about the queen, the more she loved her. Her Majesty was still shrouded in mystery, but their meeting was followed by phone calls, emails, and video calls, and Tae-eul became a real friend, a real sister, a real person who was just thrust into something like a huge promotion, and doing her best to be good at it. 

Seo-gyeong didn’t care about Tae-eul’s past. She was curious, but unlike Seo-ryeong who was curious because she was simply nosy and liked the power of knowing, Seo-gyeong’s curiosity was brushed with her desire to uncover crime and to right wrongs, and there was no crime here, nothing wrong here. Tae-eul was simply splendid. 

Maybe she was biased because it was like seeing herself being splendid and royal and adored, but she didn’t care. 

She’d been giggling for days when she saw what they’d done to deflect attention from her. It was on the advice of her unnie. As a former broadcaster, Seo-ryeong knew what it took to make certain news items old news. So the king had given an interview, and the interviewer happened to be a romantic royal watcher. 

Although perhaps if you were watching royals like these, you couldn’t help being romantic. The reporter was smitten. The article was sweet. The king was sweet. It was just so sweet to see Tae-eul being adored by her hunk of a royal husband. 

Seo-gyeong loved Hyeon-min but she had eyes. So did the rest of the world who also swooned over that article. Corea’s king had always been such a package. The way he loved his wife was almost too perfect. 

“The queen is pregnant.”

 _That_ was too perfect. Seo-gyeong squealed. “Jinjja?” She loved royal babies. And she loved the royal couple from her own country most of all. That royal baby would be the best little royal baby in the world. 

“Don’t talk to me about Archie or whatever his name is. I’m not interested. I don’t like the mother. I don’t like the father. Anyway, I’m sending them a gift.”

“That means you like this mother and father?”

Seo-ryeong ignored her. 

Seo-gyeong laughed. “Oh, unnie-yah, include me in the gift. I’ll send you the money.”

“That’s the reason I called, to see if you wanted to be in on this.” 

The glint in Seo-ryeong’s eye made her hesitate. “Wait, what are you planning?”

“Ever so many things all the time. I’m the Prime Minister.”

“Unnie-yah, what’s the gift?”

“They’ll love it. I already bought it. You owe me 200000 won.”

“What on earth did you buy? They’d probably have most things as heirlooms--”

“It’s not for the baby. It’s for the queen.”

“Fine. I’m sending you the money right now.” It was quick work on her banking app. 200000 won. And that was just her half. What pregnancy gift was worth 400000 won? It was an awkward amount. Not a designer or lux item, but not cheap either. “What did you buy? My name’s gonna be on it, too. I have the right to know.”

“Oh, duty calls. Bye.” 

Her unnie held grudges and paid back in such cold servings. 

* * *

Seo-gyeong had just gotten home when her secure phone line started ringing. She dropped her umbrella on the floor of the entryway, shrugged off her coat and barely caught it to place it on the hook, dug out the phone, snapped it to her magnetic phone stand, and answered the video call as she ran to sit on her sofa and place the stand on the coffee table. 

Tae-eul could tell her all the time to treat her like a sister, a chingu, but she was still Seo-gyeong’s queen. She always answered the calls as fast as she could. 

Tae-eul had a different background this time. It was the first time Seo-gyeong saw it. Usually, the queen called her from the study, all wooden shelves and chalkboards or window draperies. 

This time, Seo-gyeong could see what looked like ivory silk wallpaper. And pillows. Tae-eul was leaning against pillows. She wore a loose hunter green cashmere you could definitely sleep in. It looked so soft. 

“Seo-gyeongah, jal isseosseo?”

“I’m good, I’m good, Tae-eulah, how are you?” 

“What is that sound, is it raining?”

“Yes. Almost spring here now. Where are you? Is that the royal bedroom?”

“I suppose it’s royal? We never called it that. It’s the bedroom, yes.” 

“Are you okay? I’ve never seen that room before. You’re usually still in your office at this time. It’s only two pm there, isn’t it?”

“She falls asleep after lunch these days. She just woke up.” It was the king speaking from out of sight. Seo-gyeong sat up straighter before relaxing again. “Annyeong, Seo-gyeongah.”

“Annyeong, Pyeha.”

“Don’t mind me. I’m just over here at my desk.” 

“Why did you butt in if we weren’t supposed to mind you?” Tae-eul asked. 

The king didn’t answer. Seo-gyeong bit her lip to keep from laughing. 

Tae-eul looked a little tired, but also happy as she tied her hair in a ponytail. “Seo-gyeongah, I’m-- we’re going to have a baby.”

Pretending that her other sister hadn’t already spilled the beans, Seo-gyeong clapped her hands once. No pretending she was gleeful enough to clap, though. “Chukahamnida! I’m so happy for you!” 

“Thank you. Still very early. But it’s why I’m falling asleep so much. We eat lunch here now. So I can sleep properly on a bed when I conk out, even though there’s a nice sofa in the study.” 

Tae-eul said this looking in the king’s direction. He didn’t reply. 

“Well, it’s always best to sleep on a bed, you know.” 

“Thank you, Seo-gyeongah,” said the king. 

Tae-eul turned back to her. “Are you sure you’re not coming for Queen’s Day? Can’t we persuade you? It’s looking really gorgeous.”

“I wish I could come. It’s miserable here and I love autumn in Corea! But I really can’t. We’re completing a certain database. And now I have even more reason to save my vacation days. I’ll come when the baby comes! When are you due?”

“Um, May.” 

Tae-eul said that softly, as if it was something sacred. And Seo-gyeong smiled. Because it was. 

“I’ll see you in May, then, Mama.” 

“I would love that.” Tae-eul smiled back and nodded while scrunching her nose. Seo-gyeong wished she could screencap it. Tae-eul could be so cute. No wonder the king was just so in love. 

“I needed to tell you this before I forgot. There will be an announcement about the baby, and you’ll be mentioned in it. Is that okay? Apparently, it’s protocol that the members of the royal family are included in the announcement.” 

“Oh, I know! I’ve seen those announcements when Kate Middleton was pregnant. It means everyone in the royal family acknowledges this new royal, and in this case, the heir. You never have to consult me about things like this. Just go with it. I’m absolutely fine. I’m not really royal, you know.”

“We’ll always ask you first, Seo-gyeongah, but thank you. And you _are_ royal,” said the king.

“Don’t let Seo-ryeong hear you say that.”

Seo-gyeong and the king laughed. Tae-eul looked torn, which just made them laugh harder. 

“Have you gotten Seo-ryeong’s gift yet? It’s from both of us.”

Tae-eul leaned further against her pillows. “A gift?”

“Yes. I hope you’ll like it. Seo-ryeong said it’s for you, not the baby. I don’t know what it is, though.”

The king came into view, gently sitting down next to the queen as if the tiniest jostle would hurt her, and putting an arm around her. Like Tae-eul, he was in a loose turtleneck, but his was white. 

They looked so cozy together, and Seo-gyeong schooled her expression and hoped she didn’t look like a fangirl. 

“Don’t worry, it will undergo a thorough screening,” said the king, sounding dry. Tae-eul elbowed him. Seo-gyeong laughed. 

When Tae-eul yawned, the king said, “Are you still tired? Go back to sleep. Seo-gyeongah, we’ll call you again soon. Take care.” 

Seo-gyeong smiled, nodded and waved. “Annyeong, Pyeha, Mama. Take care. Congratulations again! I’m going to be an auntie!” 

They all smiled, although Tae-eul just nodded and waved back, already half-asleep and sinking down on her pillows and turning her face to the king’s chest. 

When she was sure the video call was disconnected, Seo-gyeong gave in to the high pitched squeal building in her chest. 

Hyeon-min heard the tail-end of it as he arrived, picking up the umbrella she’d abandoned. 

When he saw the secure phone on the stand, he guessed what had happened and made a face. “You need help.”

“Shut up. They’re cute.” 

* * *

The Prime Minister submitted her bag to the scanner and stepped on the dais for the pat down. 

Ha Seung-ri* did the honors, like usual, and if the PM felt she was more thorough this time, unlike usual, she didn’t comment on it. 

The queen was expecting and absolutely nothing would get past security. 

Seung-ri tensed when she saw the two bent heads over the monitor become three. And then four. She joined them. 

There were two distinct boxes in the PM’s purse, and the contents floating inside in padded packing material were unidentifiable. One was round, the other was cylindrical. Perfume bottles? 

“Prime Minister, we need to look inside your bag, jusigesseoyo.”

“Of course.” 

“We need to open these boxes.” Seung-ri swung the screen to face the PM and showed her. 

The PM just nodded. “Good thing I put them in gift bags instead of wrapping them.”

Seung-ri examined the contents of the purse with four-point precision: touch/heft, sight, smell, hearing. Phone. Tablet. Perfume. Leather notebook. Pen attached. A makeup pouch, contents all legitimate. A small felt pouch, empty. Probably for the PM’s heavy-looking eardrops whenever she took them off. Traveler’s electric toothbrush. Hand sanitizer. Hand cream. Packets of tissues and wipes. Wooden hairbrush. Eyeglass case. Sunglasses inside. A half-full amber prescription bottle of celecoxib. 

And the two boxes in their rectangular, fitted gift bags in the queen’s favorite forget-me-not blue color. “What are they, ma’am?” 

“They’re gifts from me and Lady Seo-gyeong to Her Majesty.” 

Seung-ri pulled the bow that kept the first bag closed. 

“One is called the WeVibe Melt. The other is the Ora.”

Seung-ri stopped opening the bag. 

She turned to her colleagues, who were all men. “Step back ten paces. This is for my eyes only. I can vouch for the contents. I’m just going to make sure they are what they’re supposed to be.”

They were all hoobaes, so her word went unchallenged. And judging by the slightly confused look on their faces, they didn’t seem to recognize the names and didn’t hear them clearly enough to look them up. Thank heavens. 

The best aspect of them being hoobaes? No one commented on Seung-ri’s blushing. They all just stepped back. 

The PM was chuckling. 

Seung-ri took one of the polycarbonate boxes they used for storing visitors’ belongings and placed the two boxes inside before sliding them out of the gift bags. Then she examined and broke the seals and checked the items thoroughly, turning them on to make sure they weren’t concealing anything. 

They weren’t. They were already charged and hummed in her hand like they should.

“Very nice, right?” the PM said. 

Seung-ri pretended not to hear. Next, she shook open the glossy inserts and examined every crevice of the boxes themselves. All clear. 

“Thank you for your cooperation, Prime Minister.” She put everything back. “Are you really going to give these to Her Majesty?” 

Seung-ri wondered if she should consult the Captain, but she didn’t like the idea of the gifts getting clearance after all and the Captain and Sub-captain knowing the queen had them. 

This was being recorded and monitored in the control tower, but unless she signaled for help, they would assume she was only protecting the PM’s privacy. The queen’s was a matter of course.

This was beyond doing her duty. It was... solidarity. 

“Don’t worry about it. You won’t get in trouble.” The PM chuckled again, collected her bag, and strutted off in a clack of heels and cloud of perfume. 

When she was out of sight, Seung-ri patted her cheeks in a futile attempt to disperse the blood heating her face. 

* * *

Waking up from her nap, Tae-eul catalogued the dim room, Gon’s soft but audible exhales, his arm around her waist, and her energy levels. She felt like she could chase a perp up and down several blocks. She wondered how long it would last. 

She was surprised how exhausted she often was these days. It was what clued her in that she might be pregnant in the first place. Growing the little bean was tiring. 

She mentally made a list of her to-dos while she waited for Gon to wake up. Three health committees had sent proposals for her review. The Corean Awards was also within her office. It was only a couple of months away, and they were busy shortlisting the candidates and making arrangements for the judges. Gon liked meeting these brilliant people from around the world. It was currently their pet project.

There was also another pet project taking root in her mind, and she had invited Koo Seo-ryeong to talk about--

“Oh!”

“ _What_?” 

Tae-eul clapped a hand to her mouth and turned to Gon, who had woken up with a start. Giggling at how he blinked owlishly in the dark room, she stroked his cheek and hair and then wrapped her arms and legs around him. 

“I’m sorry. I just suddenly remembered I had an appointment with Seo-ryeong. She’s probably already here.” 

Gon was curling his body around her, pulling her closer to him. “Do you feel better?” 

She nodded. “I hope I can still fall asleep just fine tonight.” 

“Well, don’t excite yourself with whatever you’re meeting the PM about. Is it the Foundation?” 

“Yes.” She let go of him and sat up. Her stomach growled. Gon laughed. 

“Anything you have in mind?”

“Fried chicken. It’s been several days, right?”

Gon laughed again. “I’ll get you fried chicken. Give me fifteen minutes.”

“I’ll go see Seo-ryeong so I’ll be in the office.” 

They washed their faces and brushed their teeth at their sinks. Then she pushed Gon out of the en suite so she could pee. He had already left their room when she came out and changed out of her soft fleece sweatpants and back into the slacks she took off earlier after lunch. 

Right, Seo-ryeong couldn’t complain about her wearing sleepwear to work. She brushed her hair and went to the office. 

The Prime Minister was already there. She bowed, and then kept her head bowed. 

Tae-eul looked down. Oh. She forgot her slippers. They were fur-lined. Black eyes, noses, and little ear flaps nestled and stuck out from the cream fur. It was a gift from little Woo-jin. 

Seo-ryeong’s stilettos seemed offended. Tae-eul laughed. “Never mind. You won’t see these once we’re seated at the table.”

Her laptop was still there. She noticed two small boxes beside it. 

“These are from me and Seo-gyeong.” 

“Oh. She mentioned it earlier when I called. Gamsahamnida, Seo-ryeong unnieyah.”

“Open it a bit later, Mama. What did you want to see me about?” 

“I want to start a foundation for mothers who lose their children in miscarriage and sudden infant death.”

“Wow, you said that almost without flinching. Good for you.” 

Tae-eul put her face in her hands. “Almost.” 

“You’re young. You’re fit. You have the best doctors on call.” Predictably and reliably, Seo-ryeong didn’t dwell on that. “Public charity or private? It can stand alone or we can place it within another fund. I’m not keen on the tax exemptions if our upper crust threw money into this. Hmm. I think let’s make this foundation special in every way, Mama.” 

Tae-eul grinned. This was why she needed Seo-ryeong. Tae-eul had vision, Seo-ryeong had practicalities. She was already thinking about the money. It was a nice distraction from the emotional aspects of this project. Tae-eul’s hands were steady as she typed notes in her laptop. 

* * *

The palace kitchen could now operate as a Chika Chika franchise if they wanted. They had everything, all the equipment and all the recipes. Gon and the chefs just tweaked the ingredients to real spices and real food rather than chemistry-created flavors and freeze-dried items. 

The kitchen staff marinated fresh batches of chicken every day in case the queen wanted them. It was quick work to make Tae-eul’s banban the way she liked. 

Gon wheeled in the trolley and grinned at the sight of Tae-eul’s slouching slightly with her slippered feet resting on another chair under the conference table. She didn’t move them even as the prime minister got up and bowed. 

“Good evening, Prime Minister. Please sit down. I hope you like fried chicken. Do you want to order something else?” 

Two court maids followed him inside. One of them laid plates just past the surface occupied by Tae-eul’s laptop and the prime minister’s things, including two gift bags. Was one of those for him? The other court maid went to the prime minister to silently await an order. 

“Thank you very much, Pyeha, I’m all right.”

“Try the chicken,” Tae-eul said, pushing her laptop away and pulling a plate to take its place. “They’re good.” 

Laying a napkin on Tae-eul’s lap, Gon sat beside her, smiling fondly. With Tae-eul’s snobbery about fried chicken, that was high praise. 

The maids poured their drinks in tall glasses and left. The three of them ate companionably, and the prime minister even finished her chicken breast and half a thigh. Wow. Either she was in a good mood or she was hungry. 

When Tae-eul finally leaned back from her plate of chicken bones, the prime minister slid the boxes in front of Tae-eul. 

“Please open them, Mama. Seo-gyeong and I hope you like them.”

“Both are for me?”

“Yes.”

The first box was black. The second box was purple and orange. The seals were already broken, assuring Gon that the Guard had already checked these items. Tae-eul opened the purple one first and handed him the black one for him to open. 

“What is this?” Tae-eul asked, holding up the orange thing. 

Gon thought at first that it could be a breast pump. It was a small barrelly shape with a hole like a mouth at one end. 

He looked down at the box he had opened, at the round, smooth and glossy black thing nestled in foam. It looked like it could be a paperweight, modern art deco. Now this one looked nothing like a breast pump. What was the connection between the two items? What was the connection to pregnancy? 

“Pyeha, Mama, do you mind if I video call Seo-gyeong? So she can see the gifts.” 

“No, of course not,” Tae-eul said. “But what are these?” 

The PM didn’t answer. She propped her tablet in its case stand and Gon saw the screen already dialling Seo-gyeong. 

He assumed it was Seo-gyeong. The name on the screen was in English, Little Fatface.

Tae-eul’s laptop beeped just then. Gon abandoned puzzling out the affection the PM had for her sister, who happened to be his wife’s double. 

“It’s Song-eun unnie. I need to take this. It’s all right, you can stay, Seo-ryeong unnie-yah. She’s only checking in.”

They all greeted each other but Song-eun’s eyes were riveted to the thing Tae-eul was still holding. Gon began to feel like he didn’t want to be there, especially when he saw Koo Seo-ryeong’s too smooth poker face. 

“You’re not getting any dizzy spells, Mama? No head rush when you get up from bed or from chairs?”

“No.” 

“Good. Keep your blood sugar and blood pressure nice and stable. Keep snacking. And I don’t mean banban.” Song-eun wagged a finger at Tae-eul’s plate. 

“It’s the first time I’ve had it in a week. And it’s not greasy at all. Gon knows how to make it good.” 

Song-eun choked on nothing. She coughed. “I’m sorry. Excuse me.”

The prime minister laughed. Gon felt the hair on his arms rise. Especially when Song-eun also laughed. 

What in the world--

“What is it? I wish you’d share the joke,” Tae-eul said. In the tablet screen, Seo-gyeong also looked perplexed. 

“I’m sorry, Tae-eulah. It’s just-- what you said-- and that thing you’re holding--” Song-eun laughed again. 

“This? What is it? I was asking Seo-ryeong unnie when you called.”

“OMO! KOO SEO-RYEONG I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU!”

That was Seo-gyeong, who had caught sight of what Tae-eul was holding for the first time.

Song-eun looked puzzled now and, tilting the black box so she could see the contents, Gon explained, “These are gifts from the Koos. Seo-gyeong didn’t know what they were until now.” 

“Wow,” said Song-eun. “No. Those are gifts from the gods.” 

And she and Seo-ryeong laughed again. From the tablet screen, Seo-gyeong was still railing at her sister. 

Tae-eul was turning pink in the face. She looked at him and Gon shrugged, really not knowing what those were, but getting a clue now, judging from the OB-gyne and the prime minister looking gleeful about them, and the detective cursing at her sister about them. 

His own face felt hot. 

“ _What are these?_ ” 

“Those are very good, Tae-eulah. Did you pick these, Prime Minister? Good choices. Nothing invasive because I wouldn’t advise that at all in her condition, but these are highly effective.” 

Seo-ryeong nodded, “That’s what I thought. Perfect for that infamous second-trimester rush, right?” 

Song-eun laughed and nodded again. “All trimesters, actually. All right, Mama, I’ll call again soon, or you can call me whenever. Annyeong.” Song-eun disconnected. 

Rising from her seat and stashing Seo-gyeong in her bag-- not even bothering to end the call--the prime minister said, “If you’ll excuse me, Pyeha, Mama, I’ll see myself out. I’ll be back on Friday. Thank you very much for dinner. It was delicious.” 

She bowed. It was probably the fastest that woman ever walked to the office door. But she pirouetted there and said, “The instructions are in the boxes there somewhere. Enjoy. Or save it for later when you need it, Mama.” 

Gon closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. 

When he opened them, Tae-eul had already found the glossy and innocent-looking little booklets and was red in the face. 

He was close enough to make out the text and see the illustrations. 

“Shall I leave you alone?”

Tae-eul jumped, dropping the booklets. “No!” 

One look at him and his raised eyebrows and they both bent double in laughter.

Tae-eul giggled harder when he turned on the round thing and they saw what it did, how it moved. 

“Do these actually work?”

“Well, we did get an expert opinion from Song-eun noona.”

He was a scientist and mathematician. He could recognize intelligently designed machines. And this thing in his hand was one. 

He looked at Tae-eul. She returned the look. 

They left the office hand in hand, the boxes smoldering to ash in the fireplace. 

The contents a nice weight in Gon’s pockets.

* * *

*For the less obsessed, Ha Seung-ri is the one we saw patting down the PM. She's the counterpart of Jang Yeon-ji in the Republic. 

I have a blood sister I adore to pieces, and honorary sisters to whom I'd give my bone marrow or a lobe of my liver gladly. Women are so fierce and also so funny when they're with their best friends. 

I still haven't moved on from TKEM, and I won't until I finish my stuff. I'll try to complete Little Bean within the next few days, unless work sideswipes me again. I need these done because I need them for the Winter Palace in Days and Nights. Wish me luck, and as always, drop a line to let me know what you think. :) 


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